Heating device



Sept. 8,1942. J. c. SHARP HEATING DEVICE Original Filed Dec. 27. 1939 Inventor: b y aflwl His Attorney.

Reissued Sept. 8, 1942 UNITED .STATE s PATENT OFFlCE HEAZ'IING mavrcr:

J ohn C. Sharp, Glen Ellyn, Ill., assignor to Edison General Electric Appliance Company, Inc., Chicago, IlL, a corporation of New York Original No. 2,211,343, dated February 24, 1942,

Serial No. 311,147, December 27, 1939. Application ior reissue Maxi), 1942, Serial No. 442,395

8 Claims.

This invention relates to heating devices, more particularly to heating devices provided with hot plates, such as a range, and it has for its object the provision of an improved device of this "character having a hot plate that increases the speed crating element that holds it in its cooking position in the opening in the cooking surface. In one form, a sheathed electric heating element is provided, and is supported on a grid-like frame which in turn is mounted in a ring that is supflector may be withdrawn as a unit for the purpose of cleaning, repair or replacement. In order of construction; Fig.-2 is a vertical sectional view taken through the heating unit of Fig. 1; Fig. 3 is a fragmentary view similar to Fig. 2, but illustrating certain elements in different positions; Fig. 4 is a sectional view taken through the line 4-4 of Fig. 2 and looking in the direction of the arrows; Fig. 5 is an enlarged sectional view taken through the line 5-5 of Fig. 1 and looking in the direction of the arrows; and Fig. 6 is a fragmentary elevation looking in the direction of the arrows 6-4 of Fig. 11.

Referring to the drawing, this invention has. been shown in one form as applied to an electric range provided with a heating unit having an electric sheathed heat generating element. As

shown, the rangecomprises' a top wall or heating surface I 0 which is provided with a circular opening I I that is adapted to receive the heating unit I2.

The heating unit I2 comprises a pair of sheathed heating elements I3 and I4 lying in a common plane that is substantially parallel to the top wall of the range. Preferably, these elements will be constructed as described in the United States patent to C. C. Abbott No. 1,367,341, dated February 1, 1921; as there described, each heating element is provided with a coiled resistance conductor I5 housed in a metallic sheath I6 and supported in spaced relato facilitate the removal of the reflector, the.

heating means comprising the heat generating element and its supporting ring are pivotally secured to the top wall of the range so that the heating element and its support can be swung upwardly as a unit from the opening to provide ready access to the reflector which is supported beneath it. Preferably, the heating element will be Drovided with terminals arranged at the side and adjacent the pivotal connection means between the heating unit and the top wall, and preferably these terminals will extend downwardly'through the supporting ring, and also through the reilector which is provided with a recess through which the terminals extend. The down-turned terminal ends are provided with suitable means for protecting them from contact with spillage.

For a more complete understanding of this invention, referenceshould be had to the accompanying drawing in which Fig. 1 is a plan view bi an electric heating-device embodying this in- I:

' vention, parts being shown in section and parts briten away so as to illustrate certain details tion with reference to the sheath by a highly compacted l-ayer I1. formed of :a suitable heat conducting, electrically insulating material, such as powdered magnesium oxide. The heating element I3 is in the shape of a distorted U positioned around the heating element It, as shown. The terminal sections or ends I3a of the heating element I3 are located at one side of the heating unit I2, as shown. The inner heating element It is in the form of a spiral, and also has its terminal sections or ends Ma at one side of the unit I2 and adjacent the terminal sections I3a of the element I3. Both of the terminal sections Ila and Ila extend downwardly and outwardly from the plane of the elements I3 and I4, as shown in Fig. 2. The terminal sections Ila and Ila of the two elements are'provided with terminals I'Ia which have their inner endselectrically connected with the resistance conductors I5 and their outer ends projecting from their associated sheaths, as clearly shown in Fig. 4.

The two heating elements I! and extending radially outwardly at angles or to each other. These arms are provided I3 and I4 are Q mounted on a grid I8 which, as shown, comprises three arms Ilia joined at the center of the unit with notches lab in which the turns of the heatingelements I3 and I4 are received and which are provided with peened-over sections lie that firmly grip the turns and hold them in their proper relation to each other. The outer ends or the arms I9a are mounted in a supporting member I9 which as shown is provided with a vertically positioned circular flange 20. The grid arms Ifla are provided with outwardly projecting tongues 2I at their ends which are received in apertures 22, 23 provided for them in this'circular flange. The section 22 of each aperture is elongated, as shown, and the material of the flange under this section is bent inwardly to define an abutment 24 which supports the associated grid arm I8a, as. clearly shown in Figs. 1, 2, and 6.

The flange 29 is adapted to be inserted opening II of the top wall l so as to support the heating elements I3 and I4 in proper cooking position in the top wall. For this purpose, the support I9 is provided with a substantially horizontal circular flange 25 extending outwardly from the upper edge of the circular flange 29 and adapted to overlap th area of the top wall I3 around the opening II, as clearly shown in Figs. 1 and 2. Itis to be understood that the heating elements I3 and I4 project upwardly above the adjacent upper edges of the grid arms I90. and also above the highest section or the flange 25 so that cooking vessels can be placed upon and in direct thermal contact with the sheaths I6 of these heating elements.

The top wall III is provided with a flang 26 depending downwardly in the opening II and in substantially concentric relation with the flange 20 of the support I9 when the heating unit is in'its proper cooking position. The diameter of the opening II is somewhat larger than the diameter of the flange 20 so that the flange 26 is shown in Figs. 1 and 2. Mounted within the space between the flanges 20 and 26 is one leg of a distorted U-shaped hinge arm 21. This leg is rigidly secured to the flange 29 in any suitable manner, as by welding, and extends downwardly through the space between the flanges so that'its n'exus is below them, as shown in Fig. 2. The other leg of the hinge-arm extends upwardly to a point opposite the outside surface of the flange 26 and this leg is pivotally connected to the top wall III by means of a hinge pin 23 which is mounted .in a U-shaped bracket 29. As shown more clearly in Fig. 1, the U-shaped bracket 29 has flanges 30 extending laterally outwardly from its two legs; these flanges 33 are secured to the flange 26 and hence to the top wall III in any suitable manner, asby welding. The arm 21 is hinged to the pin 23 by means or an eyelet 3I which receives the pin, as clearly shown in the drawing.

Preferably and as shown, the hinge connection means between the heating unit and the top plate is adjacent the terminal sections. I30

rectly opposite the hinge means.

Positioned under the heat generating elements 'in the i spaced somewhat from the flange 20, as clearly I3 and I4 and under the grid III which supports 4 extends inwardly laterally from thedepending flange 26.- At the center the reflector 32 is provided with a drain opening 35. The seat 34 is provided with a notched section 36 through which the hinge arm 21 passes; and the reflector is provided with a notched section 31 through which the downwardly extending terminal sections I3a and Ma. of the two heating elements.

I3 and I4 extend.

Suitable electrical supply leads 39 are pronected to the connector members 39 by lead screws 4Ila.v The terminal block 40 is loosely secured to the heating elements by the lead screws 40a which project into recesses 4Ia. pro

vided for them in the block, as shown.

In the form of the invention shown, one set of the terminals Ila. of the two heating elements I3. and I4 are electrically connected together by one of the connectors 39 which is connected with one supply lead 38, while the opposite terminals of the two elements are separate and are electrically connected to the other two of the supply leads. These connections are such that the heating elements I3 and I4 can be connected in various relations to a three-wire supply source (not shown) to obtain various heating effects.

The terminals I'Ia, the connectors 39, and leads 38 are protected by means of a suitable metallic terminal shield 42 which completely covers the top of the terminal block 40, as clearly shown in Fig. 2. Preferably, the ends of the elements I3 and I4 will extend into recesses 42a provided for them in the terminal block 40, and the casing 42 will be provided with spaced apertures 43 which receive these ends of the elements. The casing is flanged inwardly around these openings, as.

shown in Fig. 4, and the flanges are secured to the metallic sheaths I6, in any suitable manner. but preferably by crimping them onto .the sheaths. It will be observed that the shield 42 is located so that it will intercept drippage that at this side of the shield.

The center of the unit may be partially closed by a circular'plate 45 which is secured to the grid arms Ila bymeans oi lugs or ears'49 formed at the edges of the plate and received in apertures 41 provided for them in the grid arms.

It will be observed that the heating device of this invention has a very simple construction. The heating elements are mounted in'an open grid which in turn is supported in a ring, in a very simple and inexpensive manner. The turns of the heating element are spaced apart rather widely so'that all parts of the heating element, grid and ring are accessible for cleaning. In

addition, it will be observed that the reflector is accessible merely by swinging the heating unit I2 upwardly on its hinge connection. When this is done the reflector 32 may be withdrawn laterally. It is to be noted that if the heating element is swung upwardly far enough the terminal protecting casing 42 will engage the reflector to elevate it so that it is more easily accessible. The reflector itself is of a simple construction being formedof a single reflecting sheet formed roughly in the shape of a parabola. The parabolic shape given the reflector insures the reflection of that I do not wish to be limited thereto since many modifications may be made, and I, therefore, contemplate by the appended claims to cover anysuch modifications as fall within the true spirit and scope of my invention. I

What I claim as new and desire-to secure by Letters Patent of the United States, is:

1. An electric range comprising a top wall formed with an opening therein for receiving a heating unit, means depending downwardly from i said wall through said opening to define a laterally extending supporting seat, an electric heating element, a-supporting member having a supporting portion around said element, means'securing said element to said supporting portion, said supporting portion fitting into said opening, and the supporting member having a part overlapping the top wall around the opening to support the supporting portion and thereby the heating element in its cooking position in said opening, a hinge arm secured to said supporting member having a part extending under said top wall, means pivotally connecting said part to said a top wall, and a reflector under said heating element separate from said heating element and said supporting member within which said heating element is mounted and resting on said seat so as to be removable therefrom when said supporting member is pivoted upwardly.

2. An electric range comprising a top wall having an opening therein for receiving a heating unit and a flange depending down from said wall through said opening terminating in a laterally extending seat, an electric heating element, a support having a supporting portion for said heating element fitted into said opening, means securing said heating element to said supporting portion, and said support having a part engaging a part of said top wall so as to support said sup porting portion within said opening, a hinge arm secured to said support having a part extending under said top wall, means pivotally connecting said part to said top wall, and a reflector under through said opening terminating in a laterally extending seat, a sheathed electric heating element, a supporting member having a continuous supporting portion around said element, means securing said element to said supporting portion, said supporting portion fitting into said opening,

and the supporting member having a part. overlapping said top wall around the opening to support the supporting portion and thereby the heating element in its cooking position in said opening, a hinge arm secured to said supporting membenhaving a part extending under said top wall, means pivotally connecting said part to said top wall, and a reflector under said heating ele- .ment separate as a unit from said heating element and said supporting member within which the heating element is mounted and resting on said seat so as to be removable therefrom when said supporting member ispivoted upwardly.

4. A range comprising a top wall having an' aperture therein for receiving a heating unit, and

a flange depending downwardly in said aperture terminating in an inwardly extending transverse seat, a heat generating element, a support mounted on said top wall having a continuous supporting portion secured to said element, a reflector under said heat generating element resting on said seat, a hinge arm secured to said supporting portion close to said flange and extending downwardly and outwardly to a point under said top wall, the seat having a recess through which said arm passes, and hinge means secured to said top wall pivotally mounting said arm.

5. An electric range having a top wall provided with an opening therein for receivinga heating unit that has a'supporting ring receivable in said opening, a sheathed electrical heating element within said ring having terminal ends adjacent each other and a section of saidring and directed downwardly through said ring, terminals for 'said ends secured thereto, a shield attached to said ends covering said terminals to protect them from drippage through said ring, a hinge connecting saidring to said top wall, a reflector detached opening and a circular flange extending down through said opening in substantially concentric relation with said flange on said top wall, an electric sheathed heating element mounted in said circular support having terminal sections at one side adjacent said support and extending downwardly and outwardly, said flange on said top wall having an inwardly extending circular seat, a reflector for said heating elementresting on saidseat provided with a notch through which said terminal sections. extend, a hinge armsecured to said circular support, and a hinge pin to which said arm is pivoted secured to said flange on said top wall.

'1. An electric range. comprising a top wall formed with'an opening therein for receiving a heating unit, means depending downwardly from said wall through said opening to define a laterally extending supporting seat, said heating unit having anelectrical heating element and a supporting member therefor having a supporting portion around said element, means securing said elementto said supporting portion, said supporting portion fitting into said opening, and the supporting member having a part overlapping the top wall around the opening to support the suparm secured to a portionoi' said heating unit and having a part extending under said top wall, means-pivotally connecting said part ,to said top wall, and areflector under said heating element I separate from said heating element and said supporting member. within which said heating v element is mounted and resting on said seat so as to be removable therefrom when said supporting member is pivoted upwardly.

8. An electric range comprising a .top wall "having an opening therein for receiving a heating unit and a flange depending down from said wall through said opening terminating in a laterally extending' seat, said heating unit having an'electric heating element, and a support therefor having a supporting portion for said heating element iltted into said opening, means securing said heating element to said supporting portion, and said support having a part enga in a part or said top wall so as to support said supporting portion within said opening, a hinge arm secured to said heating unit having a partextending under said top wall, means pivotally connecting said part to said top wall. and a reflector under said heating element separate as a unit therefrom and from said support within which said heating element is mounted and resting on said seat so as'to be removable therefrom when said support is pivoted upwardly.

JOHN C. SHARP. 

